I can't believe that a base model does not have the illumination of the HVAC console. Is your dimmer button turned up sufficiently, this is located on the right side of the steering column, hold it in to change intensity. The instrument panel backlight also connects to the HVAC illumination. BTW, the illumination is only on when you have your side (parking) lights on.
Michael

Sounds like you don't have the wiring to do this. It is probably fairly easy to implement, just take a peak at a parts manual and see what harness and lighting bits you'd need. But, it will probably be quite expensive, maybe come up with your own solution? LEDs?

The dealer took the controls apart on my car... My car he said just had blank aluminum.

If this is truly what was seen, I believe Pierce was distracted by Nigel's antics again and your car whizzed right past him without getting the HVAC back-lighting bits added. I have driven a base '07 at night (no sport, no touring) and the HVAC controls were illuminated .

Sounds like you don't have the wiring to do this. It is probably fairly easy to implement, just take a peak at a parts manual and see what harness and lighting bits you'd need. But, it will probably be quite expensive, maybe come up with your own solution? LEDs?

The wiring should be there no matter what. The Elise has Exige specific wiring in it and vise versa because it is easier (I read that as cheaper) to wire all the cars the same. The Federal cars have wiring installed for the rear fog lamp but we have no rear fog lamp. So that wiring and harness should be there somewhere. It may be tucked somewhere not very visible, but it should be present.

It doesn't use bulbs. It uses an electroluminescent panel, as does the tach/speedo.
The EL panel is glued to the aluminum plate, and a piece of plastic with the graphic overlay is glued to that.
The small black box is the inverter that steps up the voltage, and the ribbon cable connected to J1 leads to the EL panel itself.

are the small divot lights on the knobs supposed to light up as well? I have an 07 exige with touring pack...the HVAC panel lights up but the small divots do not? Can't seem to find any night pics on here for comparison

This part was fedexed from Lotus to my dealer today, they must have made a change, maybe for the 2011 MY? Looks like the EL has no mask behind the knob, and the dot is drilled all the way through and filled with clear plastic/epoxy.

I'm happy, not only does the hvac panel light, the knobs do too. Yay!

Should the AC compressor turn itself off every time the car or blower is turned off? i have to turn it back on all the time now.

I think they were just sub-parts of the whole assembly, since my old knobs didn't glow they must have come attached to the new AC control panel?

If you take the knob off there is a glowing circle just smaller than the knob, it is not painted back there. Not sure if the older ones are like that or not...

take care,

gm

It appears there are now two different knobs available as well as two different HVAC control panels according to this parts list: Lotus Garage - AC/Heater Driver Operated Controls My guess is that this replacement panel came with the new knobs that light up. It also appears that you can buy the knobs (new or old style) separately of the panel, but I have a feeling if you try to purchase the new lit knobs and attach them to the old panel, they will not light up.

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